


Pride

by thesometimeswarrior



Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender Canon Divergence AUs [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s02e20 The Crossroads of Destiny, Family, Ficlet, Gen, Self-Sacrifice, Triple Drabble, Uncle-Nephew Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 17:37:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9913676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: “You’ve got to get out of here! I’ll hold them off as long as I can!”Zuko makes a different choice in the Crystal Catacombs.Iroh's words are heartfelt, and they won't stop banging around Zuko's mind.A triple drabble.





	

“You’ve got to get out of here! I’ll hold them off as long as I can!”

He stands beside his uncle, ready to defend, to give the Water Tribe girl time to escape with the Avatar’s body. They hadn’t been enough—Uncle, the Water-Tribe girl, the Avatar, and him—not against Azula and the entire Dai Lee. The Avatar had been forced to unleash his Avatar Spirit, just like in the North Pole, but Azula had shot him down before he could use it to _do anything_. 

“What are you _doing_?” barks Uncle between fire blasts. “I said _get out of here_!”

“But—”

“Zuko, I already lost Lu Ten in this city. Please do not force me to lose another son here.”

_Another son._

Zuko blinks, drops his stance. 

_Son_. 

He runs.

“I am so proud of you, Zuko.” 

He hears his uncle’s voice call out to him as he grips the Water Tribe girl’s arm, as they ascend with the Avatar’s body in a pillar of water, as he watches Uncle release his stance, as the Dai Li capture Uncle in crystal. As Uncle looks up as Azula approaches, meets Zuko’s eye and holds his gaze until he is out of view.

 _I am so proud of you, Zuko._

The words play over-and-over in his mind, as he escapes onto the Avatar’s bison, and he doesn’t notice the Avatar start to breathe again, doesn’t notice the Earth King lament the fall of the Earth Kingdom, doesn’t notice the Water Tribe boy turn to him, confused, mistrustful. _I am so proud of you, Zuko. So proud of you, Zuko._

He tries not to think about what his father—no, what _Ozai_ —will do to Uncle when they drag him, a two-time traitor, home in chains. 

“I’ll earn that pride, Uncle.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Please consider leaving a comment; they make my day!


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